Current Waters: Nantucket Fishing Report

Our inshore trips have been a lot of fun lately. This is the time of year we have a variety of species to go for. We’ve been having a lot of fun family trips on the water right now and going for some decent table fare like black sea bass and a few fluke.

The bluefish have finally come in just in time for the start of the August Blues Tournament. They’re not in huge numbers, but they are holing in a few spots.

Stripers are a roller coaster right now. But, hey, there are a lot of other fish to have fun with. As we slide into August, the fishery is heating up.

We got our first bonito of the season this week, which feels like big news. I’ve seen them on the surface a handful of times, scattered about. We haven’t been targeting them, but it’s good to think about what’s to come.

This change in weather and the recent full moon have really mixed things up in a good way.

The charter boats that participate in tuna fishing have been having a lot of fun with the larger bluefin tuna. It’s a pretty solid fishery right now, so it’s a great time to go.

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Last Friday, July 31st, the day my last article came out, we received new “emergency” regulations from the Mass Division of Marine Fisheries. The emergency regulation was filed under 322 CMR 6.37, and it expands its shore-based white shark fishing restrictions to include Nantucket. Previously applicable only to Cape Cod, the regulations restrict certain fishing gear used to target white sharks from shore. Prompted by viral social media incidents and public safety concerns near swimmers, the 90-day emergency order bans heavy tackle capable of targeting apex predators from the beach. It’s basically a safety issue.

Shore-based shark fishing is a personal choice. I am a boat fisherman, but I support shore-based shark fishing when it’s done correctly. It has been a part of Nantucket’s angling community for a long time. It’s a way for kids to see and appreciate these species and hopefully want to protect them in the future. All it takes is a few knuckleheads to ruin it. According to the press release, Nantucket was not originally included in the initial rule in 2025 because our beaches have a long history of shore-based fishing for a variety of other shark species and there was little evidence to suggest anglers were targeting white sharks from the town’s shoreline.

These new regulations are being introduced because a small group of people are doing what they’re not supposed to be doing. You know who you are. DMF is taking emergency action in response to written requests from the Nantucket Police Department and Harbormaster following documented white shark fishing activity on Nantucket beaches this summer and the resulting public safety concerns. So let’s get it together and do things the right way so that we don’t get this fishery completely shut down. For now, these regulations are in effect for 90 days.

So what do the regulations actually say? The regulations prohibit the use of specialized fishing gear commonly used to target white sharks from shore, including the use of metal or wire leaders measuring 18 inches or longer in combination with hooks with a gap wider than five-eighths of an inch. The restrictions are designed to target white shark fishing while allowing anglers to continue fishing for other recreational species from shore. Check out the regulations if you have specific questions and stay up to date. As we note, it’s changing within the season, so know before you go.

The August Blues Tournament is in full swing. There is still time to enter, so get out there! Check out the leaderboard for inspiration. As of this writing, our friend Tedy Bruschi is in the lead for the triple strike beach category. Jonathan Foster leads the boat triple category. There are so many ways to get on the leaderboard and win prizes weekly, so get out there and fish for a cause.

Until next tide…